IT Use and the Interruption of NPD Knowledge Work

While product development (NPD) groups typically use information technology (IT) to enhance their knowledge work, such usage also elicits group-level interruptions. This paper develops a conceptual model that studies the partial mediation effect of interruptions on the link between IT use and knowledge integration in NPD. It proposes that IT use causes two interruption types that represent alternate channels of influence on knowledge integration. Specifically, intrusions inhibit knowledge integration by raising group workload, while feedback interventions facilitate knowledge integration by enhancing the group's collective mind. The paper contributes to the literature by providing insights on how IT use affects the knowledge work of groups that are faced with various interruption types.